Can you have outlook email without the BES?

I assume that you want to receive email from an Exchange server. Outlook is just a client, which may or may not indicate the server being used. For Exchange, I believe that a Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) for Exchange is required, whether your company maintains it or not. This is middleware that pushes Exchange email out to your wireless carrier.

OTOH, in my company we use Outlook as an email client to our POP server. I have my (Verizon) BB account configured to connect to this server, so my emails get pushed through RIM's BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) to me. This does not have some of the advantages of true Exchange with BES (e.g. no true synchronization) but you do get your emails and no BES is needed.




SW

 

I have been able to set our Blackberries to use the OWA (outlook web access) settings to pull down email from our exchange server. It should be an option when using the BIS Blackberry Internet service to configure your email... For Example on alltel, via your BB web browser, goto alltel.blackberry.com, configure your exchange email address, and once auto configuration fails (which it should unless someone has already set up your server.) Select the sync to exchange option, and then enter the web address of your exchange server. The wizard should take care of most of the work for you.

Once you set this up once, and additional Blackberry users wanting to sync to your exchange should be autoconfigured. This unlike a BES will only sync email, and not calandar, task and contacts.

If you need that, I usually recommend to most of my clients to use a hosted exchange server, that you can easily add indivual BES licenses (exchangemymail.com is the one I usually recommend, only because I have used them, but do some research there may be better solutions or providers.)

 

Sneaky!... and very cool.



SW

 

If this is a small company, how many Blackberry users? You can get a 1 user Blackberry Proffessional for MS Exchange for free. 5 users I believe is $499.00. You could always get a 1 user for free, try it out with one person, and then if you like it, add additional licenses for more users as you add them. Here is a link with additional information http://na.blackberry.com/eng/services/professional/#tab_tab_overview

 

Correct, if you have Outlook Web Access you can get your email on a BB without BES. However, you will not have calendar, task, contact, or email sub-folder sync capabilities.

 

I followed your link and I don't see a 1 user for free option, (I would add that tom my exchange if available.) I do know that if you purchase from a wireless carrier business sales rep on occasion they have the ability to give you the BES licenses, as long as you are purchasing new BB's with contracts... But that is really a promotional deal, and it doesn't sound like the Original Poster is looking to add additional expense or BB's.

 

Try going here BlackBerry - BlackBerry | Wireless Handheld Devices, Software & Services from Research In Motion (RIM) a little down the page you will see special offer for small and medium business. A link there discuss how to get 1 client license for free. Basically if you click on that link, the next page is where you can download 1 user client.

 

We use exchange at home - but b/c of our IP and DSL service, it wouldn't let us use the BES. BB came out with an IMAP solution a few weeks back. DH got it installed & I've been connected to our home email ever since. Woo Hoo.

Now, to find that work-around to get connected to our work Exchange...I'll have to try the OWA solution above.